


Quarter Past Four

by tomfoolery14



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and alec is in need of it, magnus is a good influence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-13 16:47:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18473023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomfoolery14/pseuds/tomfoolery14
Summary: alec is notorious for working himself to near death, and magnus isn't above leveraging alec's enthrallment to convince him to slow down





	Quarter Past Four

**Author's Note:**

> the song referenced is [quarter past four](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_t1VOe0IhE) which i really love and highly recommend you give a listen!

Despite the fact that Alec had a pile of paperwork yet to be completed that stood nearly a foot tall on his desk, a throbbing headache, and a meeting with Consul Penhallow to prepare for, he couldn’t help the small smile on his face.

The little couch by the coffee table was currently occupied by Magnus, effortlessly lazing across the cushions with a newspaper in hand. He flicked the fragile pages as he read with one hand while the other rolled lazily, magic curling around his fingers and over his knuckles like tamed smoke.

It never took much for Alec to be struck by how lucky he was to have this life with someone as extraordinary as Magnus Bane. It certainly wasn’t lost on him how many stars had to align to bring them together, how many random acts of chance that maybe weren’t so random at all for them to be in this moment, together.

Seeming to feel Alec’s gaze, Magnus folded the top half of the newspaper over so that he could look at him. “You’re staring, Alexander,” he all but purred.

“Where else can I possibly look when you’re here?” Alec pointed out, a tired grin curling his lips. He couldn’t help but be enamored, not when he had been humbled a thousand times over seeing his lover’s beauty in every facet.

He had seen him when he first awoke in the morning, his hair a tousled halo of onyx strands, his eyes hooded with sleep, and a smile that could rival the warmth of the sun on his face. He had seen him draped over his VIP couch at Pandemonium, blue halogen lights catching on the glaze of sweat that covered planes of exposed skin as he commanded the reverence of every eye in the club with his presence alone—a king on his throne. He had seen him bring the wild and untamable flames of crimson magic to heel with cat’s eyes ablaze like molten gold.

And he had loved every one with all of his heart.

“Come sit with me,” Magnus said gently, setting aside his paper and opening his arms to Alec.

All too eager to comply, Alec abandoned his paperwork and came to stand between Magnus’ knees. He reached for both of his hands, intertwining their fingers and bringing them to his lips. The smooth rise and fall of Magnus’ knuckles felt good against his relaxed lips and he punctuated his reverie with a soft kiss.

Magnus pulled insistently on Alec’s hands, bringing him down onto the couch cushions with him and easily maneuvering them back to front. His hands easily found their place against Alec’s chest, one remaining to press tenderly over his heart and the other trailing up his neck to wind nimble fingers into his hair—though they took a detour at the bold deflect rune that lasted a bit longer than a moment.

The soothing scritch of blunt nails against his scalp made Alec’s eyelids start to droop. “I’ll be asleep in under a minute if you do that,” he warned. For most of the day he’d been holding his exhaustion at bay, dismissed as a luxury he couldn’t afford, but one moment with Magnus and his resolve had crumbled apart without a fight. Though it often did where he was concerned, to be honest.

“I don’t think that’s such a bad thing,” Magnus whispered against the shell of his ear. “You’re exhausted, Alexander; you’ve hardly slept a wink this week. Just close your eyes for a short while, my sweet.”

“That’s not fair.” It was a weak attempt to dispute him, Alec knew, but at least no one could say he hadn’t tried. That’s what he would tell himself, at least.

Magnus hummed noncommittally in response, allowing Alec’s head to fall back against the curve of his neck where it was warm and smelled of his cologne and the faint sharpness of magic residue. “How can I help?”

“I want to hear your voice.”

“If you promise you’ll try to get a bit of rest,” Magnus replied. Even with his eyes closed, Alec could tell he was smiling.

Alec’s response was to remain silent in acquiescence as he settled more comfortably against his chest.

“Now, let’s see…” Magnus mused, his fingers tracing aimlessly against the exposed skin of Alec’s sternum beneath his button up shirt. “Should I tell you a tale from my sordid past? Or recite a passage from one of my favorite authors? Maybe sing you a song?”

“Can you sing?” Alec whispered faintly, already feeling his tongue growing tired and slow in his mouth.

There was a beat of silence, and then the gentlest beginning of a phrase. “ _Quarter past four and I'm feeling alright. I'd love to close my eyes, but I can never rest my mind. Thinking where I'm going to and where I've been while a thousand other worries are floating in the wind._ ” Though quiet and fragile, his voice was warm and sent a pleasant wave of warmth through Alec’s body and left as goosebumps that rose on his arms. “ _And I can't keep them all away, but it turns out fine. It turns out fine_.”

In this moment, in Magnus’ arms, to live, to press on didn’t feel like such an uphill battle. The obstacles would always come, and Alec’s shoulders would never be truly unburdened, but where there was this extraordinary love, there was hope. Maybe it would, in fact, all turn out fine.

With the weight on his chest a little lighter, Alec fell asleep before the second verse began.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on [tumblr](http://royaltybane.tumblr.com)


End file.
